Gas cock wrench



- Nov. 4, 1958 LANDWEHR E'rAL GAS cocx WRENCH Filed oct. 5, 1955 lGAsvcocK WRENCH Arthur J. Landwehr, Northbrook, and John D. Cummings,Highland Park, Ill.; said Landwehr assgnor to said Cummings YApplicationOetober 5, 1953, Serial No. 384,191 z claims. y(Cl. 74-543)The present invention relates generally to wrenches. More particularlythe invention relates to that type of wrench which is designed primarilyto turn the plug of a conventional gas cock back and forth between openand closed positions. v V

In many dwellings and other establishments gas in the `form of acombustible mixture isemployed as fuel for stoves, water heaters,furnaces, boilers and other gas consuming or burning appliances. lnmostinstances the gas is supplied under pressure by way of a sectionalservice pipe which leads from an outside main into the dwelling or otherestablishment tobe serviced with gas, is connected by fittings .andbranch pipes to the various gas consuming appliances, and has an insideconventional gas cock between certain of its sections in order that thesupply of gas to the appliances lmay be cut orf or disconnected wheneverdesired. A conventional gas cock is provided with a taperedcrossportcquipped plug which is rotatably mounted in a correspondinglytapered transversely extending bore in the central portion of the bodyof the cock and has at its large end an externally disposed polygonallug whereby it may be turned #by wayof any suitable tool, such forexample, as a jaw variety wrench or pliers. When gas leakage occursinthe tting, branch pipes or appliances it is, of course, necessary toclose the cock in the service pipe in order to avoid the possibility ofan explosion, re or loss of human life. In practice it has been foundthat when gas leakage occurs the person discovering the leak in manyinstances encounters difiiculties in closing the cock because he or shedoes not have available a proper tool to turn the plug of the cock or isunable to determine vfrom the position of the polygonal lug at the largeend of the plug when the plug is turned into its fully closed position.

One object of the invention is to provide a wrench which is adapted tobe kattached to, and to remain permanently with, the rotatably mountedplug of a cock in a sectional gas service pipe and is characterized bythe fact that it embodies a pair of abutment 'forming elements, one ofwhich coacts with the service pipe section that leads to the body of thecock to arrest the wrench after it has been swung so as to turn ormanipulate the plug into one of its positions and the other of whichcoacts with the service pipe section that leads from the cock body toarrest the kwrench after it has been swung so as to turn the plug intoits other position. By providing a wrench of this character the gas cockto which the wrench is attached has at all times immediately availableturning means for the plug thereof and in the event of gas leakage theperson discovering the leakage encounters no difculty whatsoever inturning the plug of the cock to its fully closed position.

Another object of the invention is to provide `a gas cockwrench which isof the last mentioned character and as its parts or componentscomprises: l) a comparatively long leverv arm, one end of which embodiesa head with meansfor attachment to the polygonal lug on the'large` endof the plug of the cock and the other end of which is shown). The endsof the aforementioned bore are open provided with one of the abutmentforming elements; and;

(2) a short arm which is formed integrally with, and ex tends atapproximately a 45 angle with respect to, the

head end of the lever arm and is provided at its outer end with theother abutment forming element.

Another object of the inventionl is to provide a gas cock wrench of thetype and character under consideration and in which the abutment formingelements are'in'y the form of pins which extend through transverseholes` in the said other end of the lever arm and the outer end of theshort arm and are mounted in `the holes by drive or press lits so thattheyare capable of being longitudinally adjusted by being tapped with ahammer while at -the same time they remain frictionally in the variouspositions into which they are adjusted.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gas cock wrench of theaforementioned character and in' which the means for attaching the headend of the long lever arm to the polygonal lug on the large end of theplug of the cock is in the form of a longitudinally extend? ing lugreceiving slot and a transversely extending set screw. v 1 A furtherobject of the invention is to provide agas cock wrench of the lastmentioned character and in which f the slot and set screw thatconstitute the attaching means for the head end lof the arm are soarranged and designed that the wrench as a whole may `be attached to gascocks;

of different sizes. p

A still further object of the invention is to provide a gas cock wrenchwhich is generally of new and improved construction, effectively andeciently fullills its intended purpose and is characterized bysimplicity of design and low cost of manufacture.

Other objects of the invention and the various advan-i tages andcharacteristics of the present Wrench will be apparent from aconsideration of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which arehereinafter set forth and are more particularlyA deiined Eby claims atthe conclusion hereof. y A

In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this specificationor disclosure and in which like numerals of reference denotecorresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a top perspective showing a Wrench em: bodying the inventionin attached or operative relation with a cock between certain sectionsof a gas service pipe; Figure 2 is a side elevation showing in fulllines the position of the wrench after it has 'been swung so as fullyVto close the cock and showing by way of dotted lines the position of thewrench after it has been swung so as to open the cock; and

Figure 3 yis a top plan view of the wrench. The wrench which is shown inthe drawing constitutes the preferred form or embodiment of theinvention. It is designed and adapted primarily for use in connectionwith a conventional cock 4 in a sectional gas service pipe 5 and servesas a medium for opening and closing the cock. The latter comprises anelongated vertically extending hollow body 6 and a tapered horizontallyextending plug 7. The body 6 of the cock 4 has screw threaded openings(not shown) inrits ends and embodies in its central por tion a taperedhorizontally extending bore (also not in, the tapered horizontallyextending Ibore in the central` portion of the cock Ibody 4 and embodiesat its largeend a rectangular exteriorly disposed lug 8 for plugturningV purposes. The small end of the plug is provided with a screwthreaded stem 9 on which is mounted a nut 10 for Patented Nov. 4, 1958retaining the plug in the aforementioned bore. The central portion ofthe plug 7 is provided with a crossport (also not shown). Thearrangement of the crossport is such that when the plug is turned sothat the polygonal lug 8 extends horizontally, as shown in full lines inFigures 1 and 2, the crossport `extends horizontally and cuts oir`communication between the openings in the ends of the body and when theplug is turned at right angles or 90 the crossport extends verticallyand establishes cornmunication between the openings in the ends of thebody. In other words, the crossport is positioned or arranged so thatthe cock is` closed when the lug 8 extends horizontally and is open whenthe lug extends vertically, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. 'Ihesectional gas service pipe is adapted to supply gas under pressure fromvan outside main to various gas consuming appliances and comprises avertically extending upper pipe section 11 and a vertically extendinglower pipe section 1-2. The upper pipe section 11 leads from theaforementioned main and has at its lower end an external screw threadwhereby it is connected to the screw threaded opening in the upper endof the body 6 of the cock. The lower pipe section 12 has at its upperend an external screw thread whereby it is connected to the screwthreaded opening in the lower end of the cock body. It is contemplatedthat the lower pipe section 12 will be connected by fittings and branchpipes to the various gas consuming appliances to which gas underpressure is supplied by the service pipe 5 under control of the cock 4.

The Wrench is of unitary character and comprises a body 13 in the formof a straight comparatively long lever arm 14 and a short angularlydisposed arm 15.

Preferably the body of the wrench is in the form of a one-piece castingof aluminum or other suitable light weight material. One end of the longlever arm 14 of the body is laterally enlarged so as to form a head 16.The latter is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 17 in whichts the rectangular turning lug 8 on the large end of the plug 7 of thecock 4. A set screw 18 extends through a transversely extending screwthreaded hole 19 in the central portion of one of the side parts ofthehead 16 and serves to clamp the rectangular lug 8 against the other sidepart of the head 16. Preferably the slot 17 is longer and wider than thelug 8 in order that the head end of the lon-g lever arm of the body maybe attached to gas cocks of different sizes. The outer end of the setscrew 18 embodies an integral polygonal head 20 in order that the setscrew may lbe readily turned by any suitable turnlng tool. When the setscrew is turned in the proper direction to its fullest extent it servesiixedly to connect theV head 16 to the rectangular lug 8. The outer ordistal end of the lever arm 14 serves as a handle whereby the wrench maybe swung upwards and downwards for the purpose of turning the plug 7 ofthe cock 4. When the arm 14 extends horizontally, as shown in full linesin Figures 1 and 2, the cock is in its closed position and when the armis swung upwards into a substantially vertical position, as shown indotted lines in Figure 2, the cock is in its open position. The distalend of the long lever arm 14 of the body, i. e., the end that isopposite the head 16, is provided with a transverse hole 21 throughwhich extends the central portion of an elongated abutment forming pin22. One end of the pin 22 is adapted, when the'long lever arm 14 of thebody 13 is swung upwards, to strike against the upper pipe section 11and coact with such pipe section to arrest the arm 11 when it moves intoa substantially vertical position (see dotted lines in Figure 2) andcauses opening of the cock 4. The hole 21 in the outer end of the arm 14is of slightly less diameter than the Vpin 22 in order to form aso-called drive or press iit which serves frictionally to hold the pin22- in place while at the same time permitting the pin to be adjustedlongitudinally by tapping one end thereof with a hammer or similar tool.The'pin 22 constitutes an abutment-forming element which coacts with theupper;

4 pipe section 11 to arrest the wrench as a whole after it has beenswung so as to turn or manipulate the plug 74 of the cock into its openposition. The short arm 15 of the body 13 projects downwards and isconnected to the head end of the long lever arm 14 at a pointapproximately half-way between the mid-point of the lever arm and theattaching means. It extends at approximately an angle of 45 with respectto said head end of the arm 14 v and has its inner end formed integrallywith said arm 14 at a point between the mid part of the latter and thehead 16. The outer end of the short arm 15 is provided with a transversehole 23 through which extends the central portion of an elongatedabutment-forming pin 24 which, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawing, isdisposed in parallel relation with the abutment forming pin 22. One endof the pin 24 is adapted, when the long lever arm 14 of the body 13 isswung downwards, to strike against the lower pipe section 12 and coactwith such pipe section to arrest the arm 11 when it moves into ahorizontal position and thereby causes full rclosing of the cock 4. Thehole 23 in the outer end of the short arm 15 is slightly less indiameter than the pin 24 in order to form a socalled drive or press itwhich serves frictionally to hold the pin 24 in place while at the sametime permitting the pin to be adjusted longitudinally by tapping one endthereof with a hammer or similar tool. The pin 24 constitutes anabutment forming element which coacts with the lower pipe section 12 toarrest the wrench as a wholev after it has been swung vdownwards so asto turn or manipulate the plug 7 of the cock 4 into its closed position.The length of the short arm 15 is such that when the long lever arm 14of the wrench body 13 is truly horizontal the pin 24 is in abutment withthe lower pipe section 12, as shown in Figure 2. By having the pins 22and 24 project beyond both sides of the wrench body 13 the wrench may,if desired, be reversely positioned. If the wrench is so positioned theshort arm 15 will extend upwards and the pin thereof will coact with theupper pipe section 11 to arrest the body when the latter is turned so asto close the cock andthe pin 22 will coact with the lower pipe section12 of the gas service pipe 5to arrest the wrench body when it is swungdownwards in connection with opening of the cock. vAs shown inthedrawings, the long lever arm 14 and the short arm 15 of the wrench areso arranged when the wrench is attached to the lug 8 of the plug of thecock that regardless of swinging movement of the wrench they atall timeslie in a single plane which is in parallel relation with the common axisof the upper and lower pipe sections 11 and 12.

VWhen it is desired to apply or install the wrench the set screw 18 isloosened so that the inner end thereof is clear of the longitudinal slot17 in the head 16. Thereafter the head is manipulatedy so as to bringthe rectangular turning lug 8 on the large end of the cock plug 7 intothe slot 17. After so manipulating the head the set screw is tightenedso as xedly to connect the head end of the long lever arm 14 to the lug8. If the wrench is arranged as shown in the drawing it will normallyassume the dotted line position shown in Figure 2, i. e., a positionwherein the long lever arm 14 extends upwards and the one end of the pin22 is in abutment with the upper pipe section 11. When it is desired toclose the cock for any reason whatsoever it is only necessary to swingthe long lever arm downwards. In connection with downward swinging ofsuch arm the pin 24 ultimately strikes against the lower pipe section.12 and coacts therewith to arrest the wrench body as soon as the longarm is in a horizontal position and the cock 4 is hence in its fullyclosed position.

The herein described gas cock wrench effectively and eiciently fuliillsits intended purpose and is capable of being produced or manufactured ata low and reasonable cost. It may be readily attached to the turning lugon the plug ofl any gas cock within a particulary range size and, due tothe abutment forming pins 22 and 24, makes it possible quickly andreadily to shift into either its closed or opened position the cock towhich it is attached.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details setforth since these may be modified within the scope of the appendedclaims Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what we cla-im as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a wrench adapted for use in turningthe plug of a gas cock back and forth between open and closed positionsand comprising a one-piece casting consisting of a comparatively long,rigid, substantially straight lever arm having means at one end thereoffor attachment to the plug and provided at an appreciable distance fromsaid means with a transverse hole, and a comparatively short,substantially straight, rigid arm connected to the lever arm at a pointapproximately half-way between the mid-point of the lever arm and saidmeans, extending at approximately a 45 angle with respect to the endportion of the lever arm that has said means, and provided at its outerend with a transversely extending hole in parallel relation with the rstmentioned hole, an abutment-forming pin having the central portionthereof extending through, and in fixed relation with, the iirstmentioned hole, and a second abutment-forming pin having the centralportion thereof extending through, and in xed relation with, the secondmentioned hole.

2. A wrench according to claim 1 and in which the transverse hole in thelever arm is in the extremity of said lever arm that is remote from themeans for attaching to the plug, and the central portions of the pins`are in drive fit relation with their respective holes.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS310,019 Bayles Dec. 30, 1884 729,672 Sack June 2, 1903 800,793 ChandlerOct. 3, 1905 1,420,701 Hoffman June 27, 1922 2,350,354 Herskovits June6, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 20,736 Great Britain of 1900

